Non-combustible reflecting material for lamp-shades.



C. J. BRANCH.' NON-CUMBUSTIBLB REPLECTING MATERIAL FOR LAMP sHADEs.

APPLICATION FILED, AUGA, 1908.

Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

Uttar/Mio COLUMBIA PLANGURAP" Co..W^smNGTDN. D. c.

CHARLES BRANCH, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

NON-COMBUSTIBLE REFLECTING MATERIAL FOR LAMP-SHADES.

Looaaie.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 4, 1908.

Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

Serial No. 446,848.

To all whom it may concern.

Beit known that I, CHARLES J. BRANCH, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Non- Combustible Reflecting Material for Lamp-Shades, of which the following is a specification.

The main object of my present invention is to devise a novel non-combustible material having a high reflecting surface whereby such material may be manufactured into shades or reflectors which can be used in connection with oil, gas or electric lights or any other known illuminant without danger of combustion.

A further object of my invention is to produce a non-combustible reflecting material which is very flexible and may be formed into a desired shape without breaking and which will not dent as would metal, nor crack as will glass or porcelain and which when constructed into shades or reflectors will not become intensely hot as is the case in the devices heretofore employed for such purposes.

To the above ends my invention consists of coating or lining asbestos paper or board with a highly reflecting surface.

It further consists of other novel features of construction all as will be hereinafter described.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown my novel non-combustible material as forming a novel `lamp shade of a well known type although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and are not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein set forth.

Figure l represents in front elevation a non-combustible lamp shade embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line www Fig. l, a portion of the material being broken away so as to show the pitted surface of the asbestos. Fig. 3 represents a rear elevation of the clamp seen in Fig. 1, the same being shown as it appears before it is secured to the lamp shade. Fig. 4 represents a sectional elevation showing on an enlarged scale my novel construction of non-combustible material.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

num is permanently secured to the asbestos.

The mate-rial thus formed can be cut or formed into any desired shape either for shading or reflecting purposesand is adapt-- ed tol take the place of paper, metal, glass or porcelain articles which have heretofore been employed for such purposes. When the material is formed into the desired shape for shading or reflecting purposes the free edge of the article is preferably bound with paper, cloth, asbestos, metal or other suitable material in order to prevent fraying or tearing and to hold and retain the same in rigid shape and the completed article will present a more nished appearance. In the lamp shade illustrated in the drawings I have shown the lower edge of the material as being bound as indicated at 3 with any suitable material in order to prevent the free edge of the shade from becoming frayed or torn. The material is cut into a desired shape and the binding 3 is then placed on the lower edge.

4 designates a bracket whereby the lamp shade may be secured to any desired type of electric light or other fixture, it being noted that the bracket 4 is inwardly deflected as is indicated at 5 thereby forming the reversely inclined sides 6 and 7.

After the non-combustible material has been cut into the desired form as is shown in Fig. l, and the bottom is securely fastened by means of a clip 8 of any desired or conventional type, this clip being provided with suitable portions 9 whereby when the parts are bent as is indicated in Fig. l, the bott-om portion of the shade will be rigidly secured together. The side portions of the shade are overlapped and may be more closely secured together by the employment of any desired adhesive material preferably an adhesive material which will not be affected by heat, cold or moisture. It will be understood by reference to Fig. l that when the parts are assembled the upper portion of the conical shaped shade member will closely engage overlap is the preferred means for maintaining the different portions of the shade 1n assembled position.

I wish to call particular attention to the fact that a shade or reflector constructed as herein described gives a minimum amount of shadow since the light rays are more or less broken so that such light rays are more evenly diffused than is the case in devices heretofore employed for such purposes. It is believed by applicant that this is .owing to the irregular or pitted surface l1 of the asbestos material as seen in Fig. 2 which causes the light rays to be broken up as above described.

Among the many uses for which this material is adapted may be mentio-ned reflectors for search lights, surgical and dental work, for reiiecting purposes in show-.cases and show-windows, and in fact in any place where a reflecting and shading surface is desired.

This material may be readily cleansed by simply wiping the foreign matter or dust therefrom.'

In order to give the shade or reflector a more finished appearance it is in many cases advisable to secure to the asbestos suitable iinishing material such as paper, cloth or any other fabric or paint, as indicated by the reference numeral 10 in the drawings.

I am aware that it has heretofore been proposed in this art to make that portion of the shade engaging directly with the lamp of asbestos and the rest of the body portion of the shade of paper, but such a construction cannot be employed when gas is used as an illuminant, since the shade will soon catch fire and be destroyed especially ifV any draftwere present. In my novel construction the asbestos extends over the whole area of the reflector, thereby producing a non combustible reiiector which will never become overheated. A

Although in the present instance for purposes of illustration I have shown my novel material as being made into a conical lamp shade, it is to be understood that the contour Y and size of the reector may vary in accordance with the requirements of each individual case as met with in practice and still be within the scope of my invent-ion.

It will now be apparent that I have'devised anovel construction of a non-combustible reflecting material and a novel construction yof a lamp shade which embodiesthe features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of invention and the foregoing description, and whilev I have in the present instance shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which in practice gives satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i A lamp refiector composed .of a suitably shaped sheet of fibrous non-combustible material having an irregular or pitted reflect-- ing surface covered by a directly, intimately and nondetachably applied coating of aluminum.

CHARLES J. BRANCH. Witnesses: Y

H. S. FAIRBANKS, W. S. JACKSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner Vof Patents, Washington, D. C. 

